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Canucks played a pretty good Game 1 and lost it in the last minute due to very good screens by Bieksa and Sbisa, now known as SBieksa. Unfortunately for them, the screen was on Eddie Lack. Fast forward to Game 2 vs the Calgary Flames and the atmosphere at Rogers Arena was electric! It doesn’t hurt you have this guy leading #TowelPower

Kirk McLean, remembered for “The Save” in 1994 vs the Calgary Flames.

Just like the previous game, the Canucks had jump, this time, they added their execution. They win 4-1 with Daniel scoring first; Higgins breaks the net cam with his PPG and the Latvian Locomotive Ronnie Kenins scores his first ever NHL Playoff goal. Vrbata seals the deal with an empty netter late in the third.

Eddie Lack is probably the most social media interactive player in the NHL, but definitely on the Canucks. We’ve gotten to know his mom, Mia Lack and his dad, Willie. Either through the tweets of Mia Lack (@mammamialack) or Hockey Night in Canada panning over to Eddie’s dad, Will as often as they panned over to Ryan Miller’s mom earlier in the season. I guess the Canucks goalies have very likable parents. I’m starting to think the Lacks are the Swedish hockey celebrity family the NHL has been waiting for.

So there were a lot of things that happened in last night’s game. But the biggest thing everyone is talking about this morning is…

Matt Stajan throws down the gloves with Richardson and then all of sudden an MMA fighter was born. If B-Rad ever wanted to get a new career going, I’m sure Dana White is looking for a novelty fight on his card.

Best twitter reaction to the melee:

Best Teammate: Ryan Miller for chirping back at Michael Ferland as he is escorted to the Flames bench. Miller the often quiet guy wins points with the Canucks fan base with this:

Ryan Miller may have been sitting on the bench but he was into it.

Best Contradition: Dan Hamhuis has now become Public Enemy #1 for the Calgary Flames and their fans. Yes, you read right, Dan Hamhuis. He’s probably even more mild-mannered than the Sedins, combined! But I guess owning Johnny Hockey all night long does that for you. Not to mention, manhandling both Gaudreau and Monahan simultaneously with one arm each.

Numbers Game

7 home game losses streak in the playoffs since 2011 has been broken with this win. The Canucks could have set the new record with 8 in a row had they given up this one to the Flames.

42 minutes is what was charged to Derek Engelland of the Flames in penalty minutes.

9 hits from Edler (4) and Dorsett (5) combined. The Flames were out-muscled all over the ice tonight, mostly from these two.

.957 Eddie Lack’s save percentage for this game. More often than not, that’s going to be a notch in the win column.

24 goals has Daniel Sedin tying Cliff Ronning as third on the all-time club list for playoff goals.

15, the number of wins left to get to Lord Stanley. The first one means everything.

The Aftermath

Kevin Bieksa was being interviewed about the happenings in the third and his best response to it all…“…I’m not sure what happened with the penalties but hopefully we’ll see Mason Raymond next game.” Bieksa is one of those players I love and hate all at once and I am not the only one:

Ms. Lindsay, you hit the nail right on the head!

The Canucks didn’t back down from the Flames when challenged. It was not always so. The push-back has been shown a few times this year, and that’s one character asset this team has over past teams. Everyone truly seems to want to play and stand-up for one another, and what a perfect time for it.

If there are suspensions given out, I see Engelland and Hamhuis being the guys gone for a game, but that’s up the NHL and no word yet.

@TheStanchion‘s tweet might push to get Russell in the suspension mix too. Side by side views of the Byfuglien cross-check with Russell’s from last night:

What a game! I was having such an intense and not so good day at work and we didn’t buy playoff tickets this year (yeah, I know, I know) but did this game ever make me forget. Off to Calgary now in what I know will be a very boisterous Saddledome. The Flames fans haven’t seen playoff hockey in 5 seasons. It should make for a great atmosphere! Glad to know there will be a good number of Canucks fan transplants in Calgary so wave those towels proud and Go Canucks go!

Playoffs build rivalries, and the one rivalry that has always been one of my favourites were the Vancouver Canucks vs. the Calgary Flames. Right now, things are heating up between Flames and Canucks fans and some of it isn’t pretty. The Canucks missed the playoffs last year, and many called it an off year, but at the beginning of the season, many sports experts in the media didn’t see the Canucks coming back to the dance. In fact, although they are the higher seed in this match-up, there are many calling them the underdogs. Call the Canucks what you want, but I think I will be calling them winners at end of round one.

Sure they have the explosive speed of John Gaudreau and youthful enthusiasm of Sean Monahan with is crazy bad anime superstar hair.

Sean “Yu-Gi-Oh” Monahan.

I understand the Flames were beating teams they weren’t supposed to be beating, but so did the Canucks. Yet, no one ever gives these guys any credit. What happened to their victories more than moral over the LA Kings? The battle they have given the Ducks and all except for one game, owning the San Jose Sharks? The big three of the Pacific Division, or so it was deemed at the beginning of the season. It’s safe to even say, the Canucks were the ones that put the dagger in the hopes of playoffs for both the Sharks and Kings. Games both teams needed to win going through Rogers Arena, but didn’t.

When the Kings met the Flames in their game of eventual playoff demise, the Vancouver Canucks already were half way done ripping out their hearts in their last regular season meeting a few days prior. So much so, the Kings barely squeaked by Edmonton. Before anyone gives the Flames all the edge of winning this series, don’t forget who put the first nail in the coffin, all the Flames had to do was close it.

It will be a hard series, most 1st round series usually are, but I am still picking the Canucks to win in 6. Here’s why:

Experience: Obviously the older team might be slower of foot, but experience does count for something. Canucks have been in the playoffs 6 of the last 7 years. Last year’s miss was the definition of a team in turmoil. The turmoil has been cleared and the team has been re-set. Bieksa, Edler, Daniel, Henrik, Hamhuis Hansen, Burrows and Higgins are all from the 2011 Cup run. Richardson has a Stanley Cup and played an integral part of the 1st LA Kings win. Dorsett was in the Cup final last year with the NY Rangers. Although, I don’t believe Miller will be starting the playoffs, he also holds about 50 games or so of playoff experience including the Gold Medal game in the 2010 Olympics.

Goaltending: As good as a Ramo and Hiller have been for the Flames, Lack and Miller are quite the duo as well. With Eddie Lack really getting his game down since February and carrying the burden of the starter since Miller’s injury, it seems that Lack has been playing playoff hockey the whole month of March has been not only the media and fan darling, but many other experts have credited Lack as an integral reason the Canucks are winning.

Eddie Lack welcoming back Ryan Miller after injury and congratulating him on a win in OT over the Oilers.

Four Lines: As I stated in the “O Canada…” blog,the Canucks have been rolling four lines all year, and have been successful passing around the offense. That could play a big part and which is why Ken Hitchcock does not like his Blues matching with the Canucks. There are truly four lines that can play.

However, here’s what could spell disaster for the Canucks if they don’t find ways to avoid them:

Giving up 1st Goal: The Canucks have been notorious this year giving up the first goal of the hockey game. Although as their record indicates their comebacks from their deficits, it’s not a habit you want to keep in the post-season.

Face-offs: Time to start winning these like they know how. Henrik has been notoriously bad with this season. Winning face-offs helps dictate the game and the Canucks will be finding themselves countering more often than dictating if they don’t get this part of their game down.

Odd Man Rush: Canucks cannot afford to give up odd-man rushes to a team like the Flames. A team with scorers. Eddie and Miller may be good, but they can’t beat them all.

I’ve put on my “hate hat” for the Calgary Flames. Yes, I have to hate the Flames, they are now the enemy. By that I mean, I can still appreciate what they bring to the table, but I am still sticking to my guns (and my bias) in choosing the Canucks in 6. I think they believe in themselves, so I have belief in them too.

For as long as I could remember, being the starting goaltender after Kirk McLean was not a great job to have with the Vancouver Canucks. I can see why no self-respecting starting free agent goalie ever wanted to come here and play for this team. All the fans eventually hate them or are extremely disappointed by them, and they are ran out of town.

I remember it even happened with Kirk McLean. When Corey Hirsch came in to replace the injured McLean (knee), many fans were crying for Hirsch to be the new starter. In their eyes, McLean was done. He will never be the same. Sadly, they were right. Kirk was a shadow of his former self, and no longer at the level of a Vezina nominated goaltender. Off Kirk went, and after that, so did competent goaltending for a good stretch of years.

We could go on and on revisiting all the goalie controversies here in Vancouver over the last 15 years, but there is no point. It all starts with not liking the starter for whatever reason (not good enough, not nice, too aloof…) and loving the backup in the games he plays. His job is to give said starter the break, so some fans want to see at times a more permanent one. As Canucks fans, we had to see it happen twice to the best goaltender this franchise has ever put on its uniform, Roberto Luongo. How about we put an end to it right now.

Remember this? Photo Credit: The Vancouver Sun

There is no #TeamLack or #TeamMiller in my eyes. It has always been about #TeamCanucks Right now, it’s not even really an issue. Miller still has not recovered from his injury. So, Eddie Lack is our starter, and we should support him. We should especially support him on days he has a not-so-good game. Fatigue starts to play a factor when one plays so many games in a row. It happened to Miller, and it has happened to Lack too. I like Eddie Lack. He’s a pretty cool dude and a good goalie. However, if Miller comes back, he would get my support as much as Eddie does. Why? 28 wins and 6 shutouts says so. Without that body of work from Miller, the Canucks would not be in a playoff spot. Besides, Ryan Miller seems like a nice guy, just a lot quieter than what we’re used to with guys like Eddie Lack and Kevin Bieksa on the team. To me, he hasn’t been given a chance to be accepted as part of this team by a good number of fans. We all have to also remember, without Eddie’s improved game since taking over the net post- Miller’s injury, the Canucks would not still be in playoff contention. Both goalies’ efforts have made an impact. That’s not fan fiction, that’s just how it is.

This goalie controversy can be looked at from a different perspective. Both goalies are both capable of winning, so it’s a problem of abundance. It’s a good problem to have. Two goalies capable of taking the team to victories, a problem? I’m sure teams like Dallas, Edmonton, Arizona etc, would love to have one goalie that could be capable, let alone two. Some should be so lucky.

Let’s all relax and take in a Lack Dance.

My point is, the more Canucks fans, and media alike, who buy into and propagate this message, the harder it could become in the future to find that All-Star level goaltender UFA. No one wants to come to a place where he is publicly not wanted by the very fans for he puts the uniform on, night after night. We don’t want another Heritage Classic situation. Frankly, that dressing room has been through enough over the last two years and there is no need to mount this on them too. Let’s cheer them all on, even the ones that ‘suck’ from time to time. Who knows, it might inspire better play from those players. When the team is winning, the less of an issue it all becomes.

What about next season? Well, let’s get through this one first and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

It will be up to Eddie Lack to shoulder the heavy load with Ryan Miller out for four weeks. Photo Credit: The Province

Is it me, or did everyone seem to think this game was in the bag? It definitely had all the makings of a great Canucks road trip. The Canucks have been playing very good hockey. When in some trouble, the Canucks have managed to find ways to get out of those jams. The Sedins are on point streaks, the kids were playing with a ton of tenacity and the backup goaltender has been playing spectacular in the absence of Ryan Miller being sidelined to injury. The team was looking good and walking around with a bit of a swagger. However, all day, I have been feeling really off about the game. Almost everyone was publicly, including members of the Canucks’ media (ahem, Tony Gallagher, ahem) were calling it in already for the Canucks. . The words “when” instead of “if” were being used in regards to the Canucks/Sabres game regarding Vancouver winning. I wish I was wrong with my feelings, but the Sabres won 6-3.

The Canucks didn’t have their fairy tale ending to this Eastern swing, but they did have some positives out of it:

Goals Scoring: 3/5 games the Canucks have scored three or more goals. The production has been better over all since the All-Star break. With the next few weeks some very important playoff push coming up, they are going to need production up and down the line up. Seeing the kids not being afraid to shoot and the Sedins looking like their 2010/2011 selves has been promising.

Confident Defencmen: When you see most of the highlights on this road trip, you see Weber be much more confident jumping in on the play, taking more shots from the point (and more accurate) but also making really good defensive plays to prevent shots and goals. You see Sbisa taking to the body a little more and feeling more confident on the blue line. Clendening will shoot from anywhere and Stanton is his perfect stay at home partner, who will also seize the opportunity if he is given it. Hamhuis looks more and more like Hamhuis as the road trip progressed and Biega looked like he was on the team since October. Very promising to see considering Edler, Tanev, Bieksa and Corrado are all out with injuries.

The Kass: I can’t start this with anyone else but Zack Kassian. His play with the Sedins has been a point producing machine. He’s looked really good on the wing with the twins. With the injury to Burrows, Kassian should really take this opportunity to “steal the job”. When Bertuzzi really started to show real signs of being a regular power forward winger, he was about Kassian’s age now. Patience and guidance is what Zack needs, and it looks like Henrik and Daniel can show him that.

The Kids: Horvat playing like he is already a 2nd line centre and having the confidence to not be intimidated by anyone, including Chara, makes every Canucks fan happy about the future. Kenins will hit anyone, anything and he isn’t afraid to try and score, from any angle. Most importantly, Kenins has the ability to make roon for Horvat and Hansen with his hits and fore-checking abilities. Stanton showing why he had high praise from Coach Q in Chicago and Eddie Lack has been playing like he was standing on his head, except for a few games here and there. It makes me excited for Virtanen to join the team next season.

Never-Die Attitude: Regardless of winning or losing, the Canucks are sure as hell not giving up. Even when they have been outplayed, out shot, out scored. They will keep playing until the final buzzer, which was a complete 180 of the team we saw in and around this time last season.

Sedinery: Henrik and Daniel have been playing some rejuvenated hockey. It’s not quite at the level they played it at in their prime, but they know this team and even themselves, are in a transitional period. Hank and Danny are taking it upon themselves to show the young guys what it takes to stay and play in the league for as long as they have. Play the right way, stick to the system and make things happen. Whether the insertion of Horvat and Kenins is what has inspired the twins, or vice versa, it’s great to see the Sedins play like the Sedins.

Kassian and the Sedins celebrating a goal by No.9. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Home Improvements: Canucks need to work on…

Consistency: The biggest issue with the Canucks since the All Star break has been their Jekyll and Hyde record and it’s reflected by the intensity of their play, especially at home. They have the best road record in the NHL, but their home record has been pretty mediocre. Rogers Arena was once a safe haven for the Canucks but over the last couple of season, it’s been hit and miss.

Defending in the Defensive: From time to the time, the Canucks have panicked and turnovers have happened in their own end. It happened in Boston and it happened in Buffalo, numerous times. If they continue heavily rely on their goaltenders, they are asking for the world, and Eddie (and eventually Miller) cannot keep up such a high level of play. It really showed in the Sabres game, and Eddie looked average.

Skating Hard, Always: When the Canucks aren’t getting calls for power plays and are always finding themselves in the penalty box, they are not skating hard enough. They are gliding and hoping. They aren’t making things happen.

Glue-like Goaltending: When Miller, Lack and soon Markstrom are on their games, they are pretty formidable between the pipes, but this season, the good goaltending has come in spurts and at different times. Neither Miller or Lack have been consistently spectacular. They’ve had their moments. However, with the playoff push coming up, no matter who ends up being in net (Lack at this point) needs to really be on top of it and it doesn’t matter who the backup is, they are going to have to come together and be like glue.

Kenins has been a great compliment to Bo Horvat’s line. Creating space and crashing bodies has made Kenins a force on the ice.

A long 11 day, five-game road trip has come to an end. The Vancouver Canucks are coming home with a 3-2 record. It could have been better? Yes, and it could have been worse, if Vancouver didn’t win the Rangers game in the shootout, coming back with a losing record on this road trip would have made the playoff race much harder to keep the other teams at bay. But six out of 10 points isn’t bad, but everyone was expecting it would have been eight after tonight. Unfortunately, it was not so.

With three days until their next game, the Canucks will have a day off on Friday and a practice on Saturday to right some wrongs. The next four games coming up are against Western Conference opponents in a very tight playoff race. With St. Louis coming to town on Sunday, followed by a visit from the San Jose Sharks, the Canucks have their work cut out for them before they get on the road for two and then home for five straight, including visits from the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. With the Metropolitan Division out of the way, for the most part, the Canucks are now in for the real test and so is our fan-dom.

It’s been often said that sports are the soap operas for their fans. There are story-lines built into teams, situations and how things have played out from game to game. In Canuckland, it can be at times, even more so of a soap opera. With the happenings that have surrounded the team over the last few years during the Gillis regime, and even presently, the little dramas keep on writing themselves and at times often get pushed in media members’ agendas.

Goalie Controversy

So is there enough to call it a goalie controversy between Ryan Miller and Eddie Lack? Early in the season and the beginning of 2015, there was no question Miller is the starter, but lately has faltered. When he wins, he wins convincingly and when he has lost, it’s been more often than not, a blow out. The one loss he did play well in was the game against the Flames on a second of a back to back which Miller played the night before winning over Boston. Eddie Lack came back with a win versus the Wild on the following Monday. In fact, in Lack has won three of his last starts and many fans are calling for him to start over Ryan Miller.

Miller was great and then not so great in the Canucks shootout win over the New York Rangers. In the 1st and most of the 2nd, he kept his team in it. Faltered and let in a soft goal and an unfortunate one with a Henrik giveaway.

I’ve come to the understanding that once Vancouver has a goalie controversy going, overall it’s a good thing. It means the backup is playing very well and the starter can have some rest for the last 25 game push for a playoff spot. When a goalie controversy sparked a few years back, Luongo and Schneider ended up winning the Jennings Trophy. Unfortunately, having this controversy has already cost the Canucks two starting goalies, both aforementioned in the last sentence. With the schedule really picking up and Miller expecting his first child in the very near future, there will be more starts for everyone’s favourite backup.

A more evenly divided workload for the goalies will help the team down the line, but in the process of supporting Eddie Lack, I don’t see why there can’t be love given to Ryan Miller. Without his 27 wins, the Canucks would not be in a playoff spot at the moment. Earlier this season, he’s bailed out his team and stole a few games they had no business winning, twice in San Jose, for that matter. Shouldn’t that count for something? One thing I really love about Miller is his ownership of his play. He has no problem taking responsibility for it when it’s bad, which he did last night. So before this fan base buries Miller in the graveyard with their shovels in hand, don’t forget all those points he’s acquired the team early in the season. They count exactly the same now, as they did in October, November and early January, two points are two points and they are all important.

Consistently Inconsistent

No one knows what to really make of this whole Kassian situation. And those that do aren’t saying a thing whether it be negative or positive. A kid with all the tools could be set to be a very effective power forward. However, when Kassian isn’t visible on the ice, it’s glaringly bad or completely unnoticeable, which has earned Zack press-box duties from time to time. I want him to be effective and although Willie and the coaching staff have to take some responsibility in not always utilizing him to his skill set, Zack has shown more often than not, he hasn’t earned it. The glaring defensive lapses in his game are the biggest hindrance to his progression as a top six forward. Zack needs to stay focused and to be able to know when to take a penalty and not put his team in a hole because of bone-headed plays. Like I said, Zack has all the tools, but he needs some instruction in using them properly and more importantly, become consistent.

Press-box duties for Kassian versus the Rangers, and we’re wondering if he will be out on the ice tonight against Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils.

Blue Line Shuffle

If you don’t know the new dance it town, it’s called the Blue Line Shuffle. With three of the Canucks top six defencemen out with injury, there is a whole new look to the Vancouver blue line. Bieksa and Edler out on the IR and Tanev is day to day. Corrado, who has been the 7th d-man most nights, is also on the IR prompting the call up of Alex Biega.

Edler is one of three Canucks defencemen out on the Injured Reserved. The Blue Line looks unrecognizable at the moment. Speedy recovery to Alex and his teammates!

The pairings have been shuffled quite a bit from this influx of injured blue liners. Hamhuis has been paired with Yannick Weber, and although I think Weber is a fine Bottom 2-type of guy, I can’t see him shouldering the minutes Hamhuis has picked up with Edler and Tanev both out. Hammer has also been a little tentative since he came back from his injury, and it shows. He’s not hitting like himself and without his top 4 mates, the little mistakes he’d make seem a little bigger these days. Sbisa is with Biega is unpredictable and Stanton looks steady with Clendening. It’s a big mess, but when will it be rectified? It all depends when Chris Tanev will be ready to go and who works best with him when he is back.

The Canucks are now down to their last 25 games or so. It is time to find out just what they are made of, and if last night versus the New York Rangers was any indication, they are at least entertaining.